Happy Mother's Day to Me!

We've already had a busy Mother's Day Weekend! Yesterday was a big day in our house, as Will officially graduated from Preschool! His class had a little choir concert and graduation ceremony - too cute! I still can't believe that he is old enough to be done with preschool, but now we have the diploma to prove it. Onward and upward to Kindergarten!

Will is playing soccer again this spring. Today was a special day for him, because he scored his first goal! I don't think you could put a bigger smile on a kid's face if you tried! We're so proud of him - he's learned so much, and most of all, had such a good time. He's been so encouraging and kind to all the kids on his team - what a fun, fun age!

Bill and Will gave me the best Mother's Day present this weekend - a finished baby's room! We spend all afternoon on Saturday completing the finishing touches on David's room. Thank you guys, for making me feel like we are really ready to welcome our little guy home! :) In my current nesting phase, it is really a load off of my mind to know that this project is complete. Now, we're just praying that USCIS will soon approve our I-600 application, and we'll be on to packing! :)

Enjoy the photos, everyone!

New Every Morning!

What a blessing it was this week to receive a new photo of David! Just when I was feeling the most down, I opened my e-mail and found this smiling face that makes all the worries, frustration - yes, even dealing with USCIS - so worthwhile! He's six months old in this picture, and it has been so fun to see his smile and his bright eyes, to get a glimpse into his sweet personality! We also got a report that he is up to 12-1/2 lb now - growing healthy and strong. What more could a mama 8,602 miles away from her sweet boy want than to know that he is happy and healthy right now? :)

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We still don't have any news to report about the new DNA requirements. We promise to let you know as soon as we know anything, if you promise to keep praying for everyone involved in the process. I can say that we have felt upheld by your prayers this week. Though we do not have any answers, God is providing the little bits of mercy we need when we need them - this new photo, a kind word from friends or family, a loving hug from my great husband, an e-mail from a fellow adoptive parent. I guess that's what God promises in Hebrews 4:16, when Paul writes, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." I'm not so sure I'm feeling the confidence thing yet, but we are finding the grace, little by little.

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My favorite hymn of all time is "Great is Thy Faithfulness." It is based on Lamentations 3:22-24, which says,

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"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;

Therefore, I will wait for Him."

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One of the most interesting things about this beautiful promise is that it is stuck right in the middle of the book of Lamentations - five long chapters of weeping and wailing. The entire book is the cries and anguish - the Laments - of a man (Jeremiah) who feels he and his People have lost their Hope. And yet, in the middle of it all, there is this reminder that God is Faithful. Somehow, this week, God has been quietly reminding me in the midst of all of our chaos, He is Faithful. Each morning this week, I'm feeling new compassions - just right for that particular day. So, like Jeremiah, today I will say, "The LORD is my portion; therefore, I will wait for Him."

Raining In My Heart

We have had some scary news in Adoption World this past week. For reasons that I can't even begin to understand or explain, the U.S. Government has decided to require some potential adoptive families to provide DNA testing for their children and their children's known birthparents. In a practical matter, this means locating birthparents, convincing them to travel hours from their home to Saigon, be reunited with their child (whom they lovingly chose to give for adoption, and I can only imagine they ache for every second of the day.) These sweet people will likely be questioned and then will have to submit DNA to prove that they were in fact, this child's birthparent. As though the tears on their face and the anguish in their hearts wouldn't indicate that bond.

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Intolerable. Shameful. Awful. There are not enough words to describe the horror we feel at our government subjecting these kind people to this sort of treatment. It will certainly slow down the adoption process for everyone. It may end the adoption process for some, if birthparents cannot be located or chose not to participate. It is just wrong.

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Of course, there are the adoptive families - families just like us, who feel as though they have been hung upside down by their toenails emotionally. They wonder if this requirement will be possible, if they will ever be able to hold their children. We are most definitely in this category. Until this week, we only ever questioned "When" we might have David in our arms. Now we ache at the reality that we must wonder "If" we will ever have David in our arms.

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No, we do not have any final confirmation from the U.S. government if they will require this test in our case. Cruel, crazy irony requires that we must wait to even know if we are a part of this wrong or not. Please, please pray. Pray for birthparents who are hurting, for adoptive parents who are hurting, for future siblings who are hurting - don't even get me started on my fears of explaining our situation to Will. Most of all, though, pray for the children, who are the ones hurt most of all.

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Although I grew up in Colorado, my second home is Lubbock, Texas - the birthplace of legendary rock-and-roller Buddy Holly. His song, "Raining in My Heart" has been sticking in my head the past few days. Here's how it goes:

"The sun is out, the sky is blue,

There's not a cloud to spoil the view,

But it's raining.....Raining in my Heart.

The weatherman says clear today,

He doesn't know you've gone away,

And it's raining....Raining in my Heart."

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Kind of corny, I know, but it's the best way to describe my zombie-lifestyle since we got this news. It's spring, the trees are all in bloom, and yet....it's raining for me. I get up in the morning, make my way through my routine, go to preschool and soccer games and Starbucks, and yet....it's raining for me. I try to pretend that this news is just another delay, just another pile of paperwork, and yet....it's raining for me.

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Today I sat through church, smiled at folks in the halls, took Will to Sunday School, and yet....it was raining for me. That is, until our church choir sang an anthem today that was really a rearrangement of a simple little verse in Scripture:

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"But Thou, O LORD art a shield for me; my glory and the lifter up of my head." - Psalm 3:3

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Somehow, this one little verse just struck both Bill and me. God is our SHIELD - He protects us. God is our GLORY - He brings goodness and honor from the dishonorable. Most of all for me this week, God is the LIFTER OF MY HEAD. My head's been hanging pretty low this week. Please, LORD, I ask for you to lift it up.

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Dear Friends and Family, please pray this verse for our family this week. Pray that God will be our shield and protect all of us - Bill, Will, and me in OKC, and David in Vinh Long. Pray that God will be our glory in this situation - that He will bring goodness from this misery. Pray that He will be the Lifter of our heads, when we feel down. For my dear adoption buddies, I will be praying this without ceasing this week for you too.

A new Dawn!

I found this picture of a sunrise in the seaside town of Hoi An, Vietnam. I like the peacefulness, the hope, the promise that you can feel in this shot - like a new day is just arising, not yet filled with worries and frets, still crystal clear to become whatever we make of it.

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Life's been feeling a bit like this picture the last couple of weeks. We are finally starting to make our way into the Spring - warmer weather, the end to the myriad of illnesses that we've seen this winter (we hope!) & the excitement of looking forward to travelling to get David soon. It's been a bit of a long Winter this year - perhaps that makes the Spring feel all the more promising, like a fresh page ready for a new story. David turned six months old this week, and the reality of his being a part of our family becomes more true each day. Each little milestone keeps reminding me of how excited I am to have him here soon - next Easter as he toddles through the grass, next baseball season, when we gather as a family of four to cheer on our Cubs, next Spring, when he tries out the new swingset we are building in the backyard.

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It's amazing to think how much change will occur in our lives in the next few months! Next week, I will go to register my sweet, young Will for KINDERGARTEN! How can he possibly be old enough for real school already? I'm sure that he will do wonderfully - but his Mama may be a bit misty-eyed at the prospect of the end of his babyhood era. (I think his Daddy is a bit misty-eyed about that one too, by the way!) Still, the winds of change blow, and he keeps growing up. I even registered him for his first day-camp today. It's probably no big deal, just a half-a-day for two weeks at the zoo here in town - but STILL! It's Camp! No parents! Wow! His summer will be full of "little boy" stuff - the first T-ball team, swimming lessons, bible school, Redhawks games, soccer camp.

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Amazing to think that Will is the same tiny one I bundled in my arms just five years ago. Perhaps some of my nostalgia comes from his asking to look at his baby pictures a lot lately in preparation for David's arrival. He asks me, "What did I look like when I was my brother's age?" at least every couple of weeks, and I go on the hunt for more photos, more computer files to show him. He climbs into my lap in front of the computer and we peek at all the baby pictures. He smiles and laughs at his roley-poley toes, his first Halloween costume, riding in his first wagon with Max the Dog. I smile and laugh as I remember all those little moments...and look forward to the ones to come.

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You see, I am so blessed to have so many new memories ahead! As I look at photos of Will learning to crawl, my heart imagines the fun of experiencing it all over again with David. As I watch Will growing before my eyes, I think about the first time he will get a hit on the T-ball team, his smile so big his face can barely contain it. I picture the look on his Dad's face as he holds both sons in his lap, cheering on the football games this fall. I even look a bit forward to wiping away a few of the tears on that first day of kindergarten -- the few sad ones that come from the end of one era and the buckets of proud ones that come from the promise of a new one.

Kinda like that sunrise in Hoi An -- not yet full of worries and frets, still crystal clear to become whatever we make of it.

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"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus....And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:3-6,9-11)

Chuc Mung Nam Moi! (Happy New Year!)

Catching up!

So, I admit I've been neglecting my blogging duties lately. Unfortunately, it seems like the entire state of Oklahoma has been plagued by just about every really YUCKY illness this winter - and we've had our share of them in the Cook household. For the last four weeks, either Will or I have been sick every single week - bronchitis, laryngitis, stomach flu, cold, respiratory infection - UGH!!!!! At least no one in our household has had the flu yet - a major accomplishment, considering that it is just flying around town right now. We are really ready for Spring --- a chance to get out of the house, to get working in the yard, and most of all, to get everyone really well!

Illness aside, February hasn't been a total loss. We got to enjoy our first Tet celebrations this year. Tet is the major holiday in Vietnam celebrating the New Year. We've all loved learning more about the Vietnamese culture during this time, as well as getting to know some of the other Vietnamese adoption families here in OKC. We went to a party with lots of our adoption gang at our friends Kerrie & Joey's house. Kerrie did an amazing job of decorating their home for the party, complete with lanterns, New Year's activities for the kids, and even Year of the Rat cupcakes. We also got to enjoy a nice sampling of Vietnamese dishes - pho, grilled pork, traditional soups, spring rolls. You can see lots of fun photos from that party at their site: http://www.zakmakesthree.blogspot.com/. I'm a bit late with this post, so you'll have to scroll down to see the party pictures. Make sure and take some time to check out the pictures of Zak, Cole, and Dylan - three of the kiddos here in OKC that have been home about a year. When I close my eyes and imagine what our lives might be like in a year, I always seem to think about these three fun little boys and their families!

The highlight of our New Year's celebration was attending our first Vietnamese Dragon Dance. Our friends, Mai & Chad, live in our same subdivision and received a referral for their little boy the same day we received our referral of David. We are so excited to get to have an immediate Vietnamese buddy just a few blocks away! :) Mai is Vietnamese as well, so she has been such a fantastic resource for us - always full of patience to teach us about Vietnamese culture, food, lifestyle. We love the fact that the blessings of this adoption process continue to abound, as we not only get to add this beautiful baby to our home, but have added so many wonderful new friends to our lives as well.

So, Mai & Chad hosted us for a Dragon Dance at Mai's insurance office in the heart of the Vietnamese District of Oklahoma City. (By the way, the March issue of Southern Living magazine has a story about the VN District in OKC - worth a look!) A Dragon Dance is a tradition where dancers in dragon costume dance their way through a home or business to bring in good fortunes for the New Year. Will's buddies, Kiley & Kenna Cline, joined us to watch the dance & feed oranges to the dragon. We also experienced our first Vietnamese fireworks, which were quite honestly, the loudest thing I had ever heard in my life! Bill says that for those in the know, you could describe it as roughly 5,000 M-80's being lit off in very rapid progression. It was something to see and to hear! :) Mai also fed us fantastic Vietnamese pork sandwiches - think really tender roast pork with marinated cucumbers, carrots, and soy sauce all served on a french baguette - YUM! I'd definitely order them again in Vietnam. We got to try some Vietnamese sweets too - sesame candy, dried ginger, sweet potatoes, and coconut strings. All in all, a really great day. We can't wait for next year!

Finally, we got some great new news today about David. We received an update on his height and weight. On Feb. 14, he was 4-1/2 months old, 11-1/2 lb. and a whopping 25 inches long. It's so good to know that he is healthy and growing well right now as he is away from us. David turns five months old tomorrow - Happy 26th Day little man! Cupcakes for everyone!

More Milestones!

We mailed off all of our acceptance papers this week for David's referral. We've filled out a LOT of papers and forms during this process, so it was great to do some paperwork that was actually enjoyable! :) Funny, what a difference that little guy's face makes in our outlook!

All of our paperwork should arrive with our agency on Monday, 1/28/08. In a slightly eerie coincidence, we mailed off our preliminary application to start our adoption process last year on 1/28/07. What a year it's been! It's fun to imagine what 1/28/09 might have to offer for us - hopefully, a totally normal, run-of-the-mill day at home with our two sons. Something to look forward to!

David's four-month birthday was also this weekend. I bet he is really starting to smile now. I hope so - I hope he is happy and content during this waiting time. Will's birthday is on Dec. 3, so when he was a baby, we celebrated Third Day every month. Nothing fancy, but some little treat just to mark the day - maybe an ice cream cone or a new pair of tiny shoes or a picnic in the park. So, I guess maybe we'll revive the tradition. David's birthday is the 26th, so Twenty-Sixth Day may become a regular occurrence in our house! This weekend, we all celebrated by sharing a big chocolate cupcake at one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants - Will's choice. I imagine 26th Day will be popular with both of the boys!

Introducing Our Son!

Introducing Our Son!

We are so pleased to introduce you to our new son, David! He is 3-1/2 months old, and is located in Vinh Long, Vietnam right now. He was born a healthy 6.6 lbs and 19-1/2 inches long. We expect to travel to Vietnam to bring him home with us some time this summer.

How do you describe what it is like to see your child for the first time? Somehow words just don't really seem to really do it justice. Excited? Elated? Thrilled? Thankful? Yes, and yet so much more. I didn't know that it was actually physically possible to both laugh and cry at the same time, and yet, when we first heard about David, that is exactly what I did! We were so relieved to know that our hopes for this adoption would be fulfilled. We were so glad to be able to tell Will about his new brother. We are so thankful to God, from Whom all real blessings flow. Most of all, we are so exicted to have this little boy as our son!

The picture above was taken about a week after David was born. I'm sure that he has already grown and changed in the past few months. I can only imagine how he might look today. I wonder if he is starting to smile a bit. I dream about the sounds of his little coo first thing in the morning as he lies in bed. I think about his sweet little hands and feet, the smell of his hair. I wonder if he likes his bath or if he wails all the way through it.

Yet, I am at peace knowing that my God, who provided this amazing son for us, will count every hair on his head the next few months. My God, who has cared for me throughout my life, will tenderly care for David too. I thank God for blessing me with a peace that passes understanding on this one. I struggled the last few months wondering if our desire for another child would ever be filled. Now, I just thank the One who has filled that desire.

Play Day with Kiley & Kenna!

My friend Shelly's girls came to our house this week for some play time! For you non-adoption folks out there, Shelly, David, and two of their daughters have been in Vietnam since Dec. 21. They hope to come home next week with their new son, Kaden. You can follow their trip at http://www.bringinghomebrother.blogspot.com/.

I figured that when we are half-way around the world, I will probably be dying for a glimpse of Will's face. I figured that Shelly & David are ready to see their biddies, even if it's just some quick snapshots. So, the pictures below are for you! :)

The kids had a great day! We did a craft project, ate PB&J, and played a lot of toys. Kenna and Will built with Legos for about an hour and a half in the afternoon - I even got to sit down and read a chapter in my new book! :) Both Kenna & Kiley played "flying to Vietnam" with the airplane and airport - and both of them acted out hugging their new little brother at the OKC airport. Too cute! Seriously, they are doing so great - Shelly's Mom is just a rockstar in my book for keeping all the balls in the air the last few weeks.

Can't wait to see you guys home safely in Oklahoma! Will says it's time for Kaden to get a Redhawks t-shirt!